Termite control



Sept 3, 1940. A. P. BLoxsoM TERMITE CONTROL Filed Aug. 28, 1937 l//l/A Smc/who@ ALL/4N E LOMOIWv 3. y Y' @6.62pm

Patented Sept. 3, 1940 y I UNITED STATES sereni orifice TERMITE ooN'riaoI.

Allan P. Bloxsom, Houston, Tex.

Application August 28, 1937, Serial No. 161,423

3 Claims. (Cl. Z2- 77) This invention relates to a method and means of destructive insects upwardly on building supfor the control of termites or other insects by ports to the superposed structure to which mathe use of an insect repellant in concrete formterial damage is effected by such insects. 'Ihe ing the supporting structure for a building and use of destructive chemicals and. mechanical 5 in so constructing such support as to render the barriers have been proposed but such practices 5 use of a repellant of maximum effect. have met only with a limited degree of success.

The primary object of the invention is to effect The present invention comprehends a novel a control of termites by adding to the foundation use of repellant chemicals and also the use of concrete while in a plastic stage an insecticide such chemicals in combination with mechanical l that does not materially alter the strength of barriers which serve the dual function of retard- `10 such foundation material. ing the migrationof insects over the surface of Another object is to provide a supporting a foundation and also entrapping a repellant structure for a building, such structure including which is destructive to insects during migration. an insecticide, vhomogenecusly incorporated The present invention in its broadest aspect l therein, the foundation being so constructed as resides in constructing the foundation 'of building 15 to provide mechanical barriers which also serve `structures of a hydraulic cement such as Portto form repellent retaining pockets. landcement, to which has been added an insect Another object is to provide a termite control repellant such, for example, as any of the varifoundation having pockets in the surfaces thereeties of cresylic acid. The use of such chemical 30 of, such pockets being of such configuration as here mentioned is illustrative only, as .other 20 to effectively entrap insect re-pellant gases. phenolithic products or other chemicals such as f Still another object is to provide a building arsenious compounds or cuprous compounds may foundation having facial pockets which are so be utilized without departing from the spirit of oriented as. to retain insect repellants which may the invention, so long as the substance used. will 215 be gaseous or solid. be destructive or a repellant for the insects. It is also an object to provide a novel liner for In accordance with the invention, the chemia concrete form, such liner beingy so constructed cal as above mentioned is homogeneously disas to produce facial pockets in the structural tributed throughout the body of the foundation member cast in the form. of material and by virtue of such distribution Other objects, together with the foregoing, provides a repellant in the surface layers of the 3G will be apparent from the following description foundation and also through the minute voids taken in connection with the drawing in which: in the foundation material gives rise to slow Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing a foundation exudation of gases over a long period of time. and superposed floor structure embodying the Such gases are destructive to insect life and in invention. this manner the objects of the invention are 35` Fig. 2 is a sectional view similar to that shown realized. in Fig. l, but illustrating a modied form of The repellant chemical is addedto the conrepellant entrapping pockets in the surface of crete while the concrete is inthe plastic stage. the foundation structure. Such chemical may be added in any suitable Fig. 3 is a sectional View of a foundation manner, but is preferably added in solution in 40 showing the manner of using the pocket forming water of any suitable concentration up to supermat or liner comprising an element of the insaturation. A concentration of cresylic acid up Vention. to seven per cent has been found to alter the Fig. 4 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 3 tensile strength of concrete less than ten per but showing a modiedform of mat giving rise cent after setting for one week, while a concen- 45 to rectangular pockets in the surfaces of the tration of from three to five per cent does not foundation. alter the nal tensile strength to any appre- Fig. 5 is an elevation of a portion of a foundaciable extent. Such concentrations of the re-A tion formed in accordance with the embodiment pellant are sufficient to produce desired results shown in Fig. 4. and it is obvious from the foregoing that these 50 Figs. 6 and 7 are views' of modified forms of concentrations may be used without materially pocket forming mats used in a manner similar affecting the strength of the concrete. to that illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. In Fig. l is shown a construction embodying Various methods and means have heretofore the invention wherein l is the side supporting been proposed. for the control of the migration Wallin section, such wall being provided with 65 facial grooves 2 to serve as barriers and also to entrap gases which exude from the body of the wall l. End wall 3 is provided with similar grooves Il to serve the same purpose as do the grooves of `the side wall. It should be noted that an offset is provided in the grooves at 5 in order to minimize the weakening eects of the groove and also to form pockets for retaining the exuded gases.

At G is shown a floor structure resting upon the walls i and 3 and provided with grooves or pockets l for the entrapment of gases. 1

In Fig. 2 is shown a modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 1, similar parts being identified by primed reference characters. It should be noted, however, that the grooves 2 are upwardly inclined instead of downwardly inclined as shown in Fig. 1. The construction shown in Fig. l is designed for use where gas exuding from within the concrete is lighter than air and hence tends to rise but is entrapped in the downwardly facing pockets formed by the grooves. On the other hand, the construction shown in 2 is designed for use where the exuding gas is heavier than air and hence tends to move downwardly but is entrapped within upwardly opening pockets.

In Fig. 3 is shown the manner of construction of the foundation as shown in Fig. 1. In accordance with this phase of the invention the usual form i8 is provided with a liner or mat of rubber or other suitable material having ridges l2. The material of the mat EG is of sufficient rigidity to maintain its form and hence to form grooves 2 on the faces of the concrete foundation. It is apparent that this mat may be readily removed from the surface of the concrete when the form it is removed and hence may be repeatedly used whereby the expense incident to practice of the invention is minimized.

`In Fig. 4 is shown a modification of the enibodiment shown in Fig. 3, such modification cornprising a mat having rectangular ridges; such ridges, as is the case with the modification shown in Fig. 3, are not continuous, the discontinuities being staggered to form a surface having staggered pockets as shown at i3 in the elevational View of the wa-ll shown in Fig. 5. It is believed apparent that such construction does not materially reduce the strength of the foundation structure but that the pockets formed therein serve as gas retaining pockets and that the surface so provided serves as a barrier to the migration of insects thereover.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate modified types of liners to be used in practicing the invention. The form shown in Fig. 6 is provided with cylindrical projections i4 while the form shown in Fig. 7 is provided with hexagonal projections i5, whereby complementary pockets are formed in the surface of the foundation structure. It is to be understood that the mats used for forming pockets in the surface of the foundation may be so constructed as to provide gas retaining pockets which open diagonally upwardly or downwardly as pointed out in connection with Figs. l and 2.

In accordance with the foregoing, it is apparent that the present invention provides a novel method and means for controlling the migration of destructive insects to building structures.

While specific examples have been presented to illustrate the preferred embodiments and improvements, the invention is not confined thereto but is limited only by the prior art and appended claims.

It is to be understood, for example, that in addition to the use of a suitable chemical in the concrete forming the foundation i, the pockets therein which serve to entrap exuded gases and Which also act as barriers to the migration of destructive insects may be partially or entirely lled with insect repellant of high concentration at any time. Likewise, while the preferred embodiment and disclosed modifications show the provisions of facial pockets on both sides of the support elements, it is to be understood that the facial pockets may be provided on one side only of support element if such construction be deemed desirable or necessary. It is therefore intended that the invention shall include such practices.

What is claimed as new is:

1. An insect controlling foundation comprising support members of an intimate mixture of hydraulic cement and a volatile insect repellant, and pockets in the surface of said foundation adapted to entrap gases from said repellant whereby the migration of insects over the sul'- face of said support members is prevented.

V2. An insect controlling foundation comprising support members of an intimate mixture of hydraulic cement and a volatile insect repellant. and upwardly opening pockets in the surface of said members to entrap repellant gases that are heavier than air.

3. An insect controlling foundation comprising support members of an intimate mixture of hydraulic cement and a volatile insect repellent and downwardly opening po ets in the surface of said members to entrap light repellent gases therein.

ALLAN P. BLOXSOM. 

